Baseman posted:Iguana posted:Bibi Haniffa posted:Poor planning here on behalf of the Saudis. The location made it too obvious.
How do you know that wasn't their intent? Let me elaborate.
There is a new leader, Prince Mohammed Bin Salman (MBS), son of the King. MBS is a moderate, into modernizing SA by removing lots of social restrictions, allowing women to drive, opening up SA to more freedoms for foreigners etc. All to the chagrin of the Wahabbi clerics who run things behind the scenes and constantly need to be appeased (their terrorists plots funded by the royal family etc). Otherwise they call for holy war and topple the kingdom.
Furthermore there are over 30K in the Royal family, the older ones who may not be so open to the changes MBS wants (like taking aramco public etc).
Might it be, and I'm just suggesting this, that the wahabs and some in the Royal family hatched this plot against the journalist to topple MBS and his social reforms? Just a thought.
It was their intent. It’s a message from the new head of state. Those guys think through deep and long.
Ok, but who is "their"????? I am suggesting it is not Prince MBS...he has nothing to gain from this. He will only lose the support of western nations who see him as a much needed reformer and are inclined to be very accommodating to him. If he did this he is patently stupid, and I don't think that's the case.
After I wrote my initial post Trump appeared on TV mouthing off about "rogue" elements. I think this may be the work of the wahabs or others in the royal clan who do not agree with MBS reforms and have placed him in this position. Purely speculation on my part and no proof other than the lack of motive on MBS part.